Abstract:

A lighting module includes a base plate for fixing to a mounting surface,
and a reflector body carrying a printed circuit board with one or more
electrical light sources such as high power LEDs. The printed circuit
board (includes electrical contact pins to the electrical light sources.
The base plate and the reflector body are provided with complementary
coupling formations for snap-like coupling the base plate and the
reflector body with an electrical line interposed in between for feeding
the light sources with the electrical contact pins electrically
contacting the electrical line. The module may include force-generating
formations to urge the printed circuit board against the base plate to
promote heat transfer in between.

Claims:

1. A lighting module comprising:a base plate for fixing to a mounting
surface; anda reflector body carrying a printed circuit board with at
least one electrical light source, the printed circuit board comprising
electrical contact pins to the at least one electrical light source;the
base plate and the reflector comprising complementary coupling formations
for snap-like coupling the base plate and the reflector body with an
electrical line interposed in between for feeding the at least one
electrical light source with the electrical contact pins electrically
contacting the electrical line.

2. The lighting module of claim 1, further comprising at least one
force-generating formation configured to urge the printed circuit board
against the base plate.

3. The lighting module of claim 1, wherein the complementary coupling
formations comprises:at least one set of hinge-like coupling formations
configured to establish a clamp-like coupling between the base plate and
the reflector body, thereby permitting rotation of the reflector body
against the base plate, anda set of locking formations configured to lock
to the base plate the reflector body rotated against the base plate.

4. The lighting module of claim 2, wherein the at least one
force-generating formation is arranged closer to the set of hinge-like
coupling formations than to the set of locking formations.

5. The lighting module of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of sets
of hinge-like coupling formations configured to provide a reaction force
to the force produced by the force-generating formations.

6. The lighting module of claim 1, wherein the base plate further
comprises:a flat web portion, andtwo side portions extending channel-like
from the web portion, wherein at least part of the complementary coupling
formations configured to couple with the reflector body comprises the two
side portions comprise.

7. The lighting module of claim 6, wherein the two side portions comprise
openings configured to couple with the reflector body.

8. The lighting module of claim 1, wherein the reflector body comprises
teeth, wherein at least part of the complementary coupling formations
configured to couple with the base plate comprises the teeth.

9. The lighting module of claim 2, wherein the at least one
force-generating formation comprises at least one arch-like leaf-spring
element of the reflector body.

10. The lighting module of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical
light source is an LED.

11. The lighting module of any of claim 1, wherein the electrical line is
a flexible strip.

12. The lighting module of any of claim 1, wherein the electrical line is
adhesively connected to the mounting surface.

13. A method of mounting on a mounting surface an array of lighting
modules, the method comprising:providing a plurality of lighting modules
according to claim 1;mounting on the mounting surface the base plates of
the plurality of lighting modules;extending the electrical line to
connect the base plates of the plurality of lighting modules mounted on
the mounting surface; andmounting on the base plates of the plurality of
lighting modules mounted on the mounting surface the reflector bodies of
the plurality of lighting modules, the reflector bodies carrying each a
printed circuit board with at least one electrical light source, wherein
the mounting the reflector bodies includes snap-like coupling the
reflector bodies with respective base plates with the electrical line
interposed in between.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising adhesively connecting the
electrical line to the mounting surface.

Description:

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001]This application claims the benefit of European Patent Application
No. EP08168026, filed Oct. 31, 2008, the entire contents and disclosure
of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003]This disclosure was devised with specific attention paid to its
possible application to mounting arrangements for arrays of high power
LED modules.

BACKGROUND

[0004]When using conventional arrangements, realizing a circuit including
an array of LED modules requires connecting multiple LED modules by means
of cables and fasteners, which essentially involves a sequential
procedure. Creating a pattern of LED modules thus requires locating every
single module in place and then establishing electrical connections by
cabling the modules one after the other. In the case of an array
including, say, a number of modules equal to n, this involves n base
plate placement operations, followed by n (if parallel) or n-1 (if
series) electrical connection operations, and then n reflector placement
operations.

[0005]A basic problem left unsolved by conventional arrangements as
described in the foregoing is reducing the time devoted to installing
multiple modules, especially the time spent for electrically connecting
an array of high power LED modules, while also ensuring an easy handling
pattern of light sources.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006]Various embodiments provide a simple and fast coupling connection
process for LED modules while ensuring electrical connection and thermal
dissipation.

[0007]Various embodiments are adapted to provide electrical connection in
a single operation.

[0008]Various embodiments are adapted to provide "smart" replacement and
good handling features.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]In the following description, various embodiments of the invention
are described with reference to the following drawings, in which:

[0010]FIG. 1 is a general schematic view of an arrangement as described
herein with certain parts omitted/shown in phantom lines;

[0011]FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views of certain parts of the
embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1; and

[0012]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along line IV-IV of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0013]In the following description, numerous specific details are given to
provide a thorough understanding of embodiments. The embodiments can be
practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other
methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known
structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail
to avoid obscuring aspects of the embodiments.

[0014]Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an
embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic
described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one
embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or
"in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are
not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the
particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in
any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0015]The headings provided herein are for convenience only and do not
interpret the scope or meaning of the embodiments.

[0016]The embodiment illustrated in the figures aims at reducing the cost
of the process and the number of components involved in producing a
lighting source including a plurality of LED lighting modules 10. Each
module 10 may in turn include one or more LED lighting sources such as a
high-power LED lighting sources L (see FIG. 4). In an embodiment, each
module 10 may include an array of say, two to four LED sources L.

[0017]The modules 10 (e.g. three of these modules 10, with reference to
FIG. 1) are mounted on a common support surface (of any type: e.g. a lamp
structure) 100.

[0018]Each module 10 (hereinafter, the modules 10 will be considered to be
identical, so that only one of these will be described in detail) is
mounted on the surface 100 via a (e.g. metallic--i.e. heat dissipative)
base plate 102 in the form of a shaped body fixed to the surface 100.
Fixing may be via screws 102a as shown or by any other means.

[0019]In an embodiment, the base plate 102 has a channel-like shape
overall, including:

[0020]a flat web portion 1020 to lie flat against the surface 100, and

[0021]two side portions 1022 to extend upwardly from the surface 100. The
side portions 1022 have holes 1024, 1025 (or similar formations) for
snap-in engagement of parts of the module 10 to be described in the
following.

[0022]Electrical connection of the various modules 10 is provided via a
connector 104 in the form of e.g. a flexible ("flex") adhesive strip
carrying e.g. two conductors 1040. As schematically shown in FIG. 1 (top
right), such a strip 104 can be unwound and extended across a plurality
of base plates 102 to rapidly provide stable electrical connection of the
corresponding modules. This while also ensuring that all the modules 10
arranged on the surface 100 are connected with the same phase: this is
ensured by the strip being flat, so that the electrical conductors
therein maintain their mutual position provided the strip is not twisted.

[0023]Both FIG. 1 and the cross sectional view of FIG. 4 show the strip
104 interposed between the base plate 102 and the body 106 of the module
10 (the body 106 of only one of the modules is illustrated in shadow
lines in FIG. 1).

[0024]In the embodiment illustrated, the strip 104 is in fact interposed
between the base plate 102 and a (e.g. metal core i.e. heat-dissipative)
printed circuit board or PCB 107 carried by the body 106.

[0025]The PCB 107 carries the LED sources L at its upper side (i.e. the
side "internal" to the body 106--see FIG. 4) and is provided at its lower
side (i.e. the side "external" to the body 106--see FIG. 2) with contact
pins 108 to contact the conductors 1040 in the strip 104.

[0026]In the embodiment illustrated, two pairs of contact pins 108 are
provided for the LED sources L arranged in the body 106. In the
embodiment illustrated, the contact pins 108 are in the form of
spring-loaded pins adapted to contact the conductors 1040 by being pushed
thereby against/into the PCB 107 that are mounted provided for two LED
sources L arranged in the body 106.

[0027]Thermal coupling of the PCB 107 and the base plate 102 is increased
by the mechanical action of the body 106, which also acts as a reflector,
as better detailed in the following (e.g. by means of leaf springs that
urge the PCB 107 against the base plate 102, possibly squeezing a TIM
foil in between).

[0028]In the embodiment illustrated, the LED sources L and the pins 108
are carried by the PCB 107 at opposite sides thereof.

[0029]As best appreciated in the sectional view of FIG. 4, the body 106 is
generally vat-shaped with a bottom portion 1060 provided with apertures
for the LED sources L mounted on the PCB 107 and respective lenses 1062
associated therewith.

[0030]Further details of the mounting arrangement of the LED sources L and
the lenses 1062 as well as the PCB 107 on the reflector body 106 can be
found in a parallel application filed on even date by the same applicant.

[0031]The inner surface 1064 of the reflector body 106 is treated to be
reflective (by known means, e.g. by being provided with reflective
facets) and shaped (e.g. by having an at least approximately parabolic or
paraboloid-like shape) to properly direct the light rays from the LED
sources L (and especially the "outer" fraction of these light rays
possibly escaping the focusing action of the lenses 1062) towards the
distal opening 1066 of the reflector body 106 to be projected from the
module 10.

[0032]Connection of the reflector body 106 with the base plate 102 is by
snap-like engagement. To that effect, in the embodiment shown the
reflector body 106 carries tooth formations adapted to engage the holes
1024, 1025 in the side portions 1022 of the base plate 102.

[0033]In the exemplary embodiment as illustrated, these tooth formations
include a set of e.g. three teeth 1068 adapted to engage three
corresponding holes 1024 in the side portion 1022 of the base plate 102
which is proximate to the LED sources.

[0034]Engagement of the teeth 1068 in the holes 1024 creates a sort of
hinge-like coupling between the reflector body 106 and the base plate
102. The reflector body 106 can thus be rotated in a clamp-like fashion
against the base plate 102 until a tooth 1070 provided at the opposite
side of the reflector body 106 engages in a snap-like fashion a
corresponding hole 1025 in the side portion 1022 of the base plate 102
which is proximate to the strip 104.

[0035]As a result of this snap-like engagement, the reflector body 106 is
securely fixed the base plate 102 (and thus to the surface 100), with the
strip 104 likewise securely clamped between the PCB 107 and the base
plate 102 to provide electrical connection to the LED or LEDs in the
module 10.

[0036]In the exemplary embodiment illustrated one or more spring-like
formations 1072 are interposed between the reflector body 106 and the PCB
107 to urge the PCB 107 against the base plate 102 and provide good
thermal coupling in between.

[0037]In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, these formations are in the
form of arch-like leaf-springs extending between the LED sources. In an
embodiment, these formations can be simply comprised of thin wall
portions of the reflector body 106 extending between the openings for the
light sources L provided in the "bottom" portion 1060.

[0038]The formations 1072 create a force system as shown in FIG. 4, by
creating a force F1 which urges the PCB 107 towards the base plate 102
and corresponding reaction forces F2 and F3 acting on the side portions
1020 of the base plate 102. Specifically force F2 acts between the
"locking" tooth 1070 and the corresponding opening 1025, while force F3
acts between the "hinge" teeth 1068 and the corresponding openings 1024.

[0039]Due to the lever effect thus created, this arrangement may produce a
relevant force on the leaf springs 1072 even in the presence of a
moderate reaction force at the "locking" tooth 1070. In fact:

[0040]where a and b denote the distance of the point of action of the leaf
springs 1072 to the teeth 1068 and the tooth 1070, respectively.

[0041]In fact, as the ratio "b/a" increases (i.e. as the leaf springs 1072
are arranged increasingly closer to the teeth 1068 than to the tooth
1070), the reaction force is increasingly supported by the rear teeth
1068, which explains why plural teeth may be used to distribute this
reaction force.

[0042]Experiments carried out by the applicant indicate that good thermal
coupling is achieved if the PCB 107 is urged against the base plate 102
with a force of 20N.

[0045]In an embodiment, an array of lighting modules 10 as described
herein can be mounted on a mounting surface 100 by first mounting on that
surface the base plates 102 of the modules.

[0046]The electrical line 104 is then extended (e.g. unwound) to connect
said the base plates 102 already mounted on the mounting surface 100. The
reflector bodies 106 of the modules 10, carrying the PCBs 107 with the
LED sources are then mounted on the base plates 102 by snap-like coupling
the reflector bodies 106 with the respective base plates 102 with the
electrical line 104 interposed in between.

[0047]In an embodiment, the electrical line 104 is adhesively connected to
the mounting surface 100.

[0048]Without prejudice to the underlying principles of the invention, the
details and the embodiments may vary, even appreciably, with reference to
what has been described by way of example only, without departing from
the scope of the invention as defined by the annexed claims.